Vietnamese activists to protest art show
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(Mark Boster / Los Angeles Times) |
| “Thu Duc, Viet Nam” (2008) by Brian Doan |
Vietnamese American activists plan to protest an art exhibit at Cypress College on Wednesday that shows a photograph they said is disrespectful to their experiences as political refugees.
The offending photo, by Vietnamese American artist Brian Doan, shows a young woman wearing a red tank top with a yellow star -– the color of Vietnam's official flag -- sitting next to a small bust of former communist leader Ho Chi Minh.
Doan said the work is a commentary on the youth of Vietnam who grew up there after the Vietnam War.
But the communist symbols in the piece enraged many Vietnamese Americans. Hundreds protested when the photograph was shown in a Santa Ana exhibit in January.
A similar photograph appeared at Cypress College this month as part of Doan's portrait series called "The Vietnamese."
Since then, activists have urged Doan and college officials to remove the photograph because it "hurt the feelings of refugees," said Lac Tan Nguyen, president of the Vietnamese American Community of Southern California.
"Can the school do something to help our community live in peace?" Nguyen said during a meeting with college officials today.
Doan and college officials have repeatedly declined to take the photograph down, citing freedom of expression.
"If we were to stifle everything we don't agree with, we wouldn't have the country we have right now," said Michael J. Kasler, Cypress College president.
Kasler suggested that the college work with members of the Vietnamese community to have seminars and exhibits to teach students about personal experiences during the Vietnam War.
--My-Thuan Tran
Give me a break folks. Art is in large part commentary when it is good. What good is Brian's art if he does not bring you out so you can be enraged by his image - all the while the U.S. government is giving more money to corporations, cutting money given to the poor, increasing the cost to children's education, while cutting funds given to schools, and putting the country in greater debt. Just remember that this "communist" photo is one of many other photo in a lifetime's worth of work. Brian Doan went to the Philippines and many far away places to capture people struggling, some of those very people were trying to escape the communist regime, and he supported them in that. So, before the protesting begin, remember, it's not as simple the label of communist or anti-communist. What is the human condition? Is there any honesty in its depiction here whether universal or not?
Posted by: Luan Huynh | February 17, 2009 at 11:15 PM
Freedom of expression in the United States is one of the most important rights we have. I see it as a bit hypocritical to flee a inhuman communist country to a free democratic one, then protest against the safety of freedom it provides. Not to offend the refugees who I am sure experienced horrific atrocities in there homeland, I commend the College for standing up for the rights of an artist to practice their craft.
Posted by: Greg Perez | February 17, 2009 at 11:20 PM
Corruption, dictatorship and freedom oppression are parts of Vietnamese past, present, and future, regardless of which form of government. Remember the dictator Ngo Dinh Diem of South Vietnam government.
We escaped Vietnam to come here for freedom and democracy and now we are trying to oppress that freedom???
And how can one compares Ho Chi Minh to Hitler, Hitler was no longer a hero in Germany today, but 80 millions and many Vietnamese living abroad still look up to him as a national hero who risk his life for the independence of Vietnam (historical fact - goto Utube and search for video clip of Ho Chi Minh. The love and respect of Ho Chi Minh to Vietnam as compare to that of Mahatma Ghandi to India.
Many Vietnamese refugees claimed that they "risk their life to escape the evil regime" but now they going right back to that same evil regime yearly by hundred thousand to show off their luxury and exploited the local poor people (goto Utube then search for Viet travel, one will see how the Vietnamese-American enjoy their vacation while surrounding with the "Red Flag" and Ho' images, none shows any sign of "flash back with bad memories" as they experience here in America with Brian Doan's photo. How's hypocrite these people are
And please understand that not most of Vietnamese community in OC protest this nonsense issue, most of the protester are in the older generation who can not recognize that the war was over 34 years ago, living in hatred and ashamed for their cowardly acts in 1975.
Posted by: suzieq | February 18, 2009 at 05:37 AM
This is so ridiculous. Part of the role of art is to express emotions, criticism and show different points of view. The role of art is not to make everyone glow with happiness. People need to familiarize themselves with constitutional rights before protesting something like this.
Posted by: M | February 18, 2009 at 06:14 AM
Let be clear about the freedom of expression. The local Vietnamese community, largely refugees escaping the vietcong totalitarian dictatorship regime, has not impeded the freedom of expression of this B. Doan and the college at all, they simply express their opinion about the poor choices of the so called "artist" and the college in displaying such photograph.
In my opinion, this photograph of a young Vietnamese woman wearing a top with the vietcong regime flag, looking away in bewilder is a piece of junk, it has no artistic value. It was a product of the so called "photographer" Brian Doan. By his own admission, Doan directed and chose the setting for the photograph to show that young Vietnamese under vietcong regime are looking for brighter future overseas. Any one with a camera or audio recorder can produce million of much better "art" products than this piece of junk that Brian Doan took. I have looked at this photograph from different angles and I must admit that it is a poor photograph, but worst, the subject looks fake!
The action of Brian Doan has hurt his own father who was imprisoned by the vietcong regime. Doan senior believes that his son action is insensitive and naive. This is in part, explains the anger felt by the local Vietnamese community and else where.
The only explanation for Brian Doan's action is that he needs controversial to propel his unknown name. What a low act for a so called "artist" to take!
Posted by: phiengung | February 21, 2009 at 06:07 PM
Lucky that Suzieq loves her uncle Ho and the vietcong regime. What would she do if she does not like some of the vietcong's leadership or their policies? Is she allowed to protest?
Posted by: Loan | February 22, 2009 at 07:56 PM